


An Assistant (Varian x gender-neutral!reader)

by kaeyamoyan



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Gen, Other, just a random oneshot tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:54:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25507810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaeyamoyan/pseuds/kaeyamoyan
Summary: Four years ago, maybe he would've wanted an assistant. But he wasn't fourteen anymore; nor was he in some rigged Science Expo. He was working for the royals. And that wasn't something that should be taken lightly.He didn't want an assistant.But maybe he needed one.
Relationships: Varian (Disney)/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 54





	An Assistant (Varian x gender-neutral!reader)

Varian liked to work alone.

As much as he loved his friends and family, he had to admit that people could be exhausting at times; especially when it came to his work. Being the royal engineer was no joke, and the entire kingdom depended on his inventions. So getting a potentially clumsy companion that could risk messing things up was the last thing on his mind.

But apparently, that wasn't a choice for him to make. 

"(Y/n) (L/n). Pleasure to be met."

You stood before him with bright eyes, a warm smile, and an outstretched hand that waited to be shook. 

He was the complete opposite. His eyes were red and exhausted, face rid of emotion, and hands stained with oil and dirt. He felt embarrassed for a second, realizing that he looked like utter trash. But the insecurities in his head were replaced by questions once he got a hold of what was going on. 

"What time is it?" was the only thing he managed to sputter out, seemingly disconnected from reality. 

"One in the afternoon."

"Oh."

He couldn't seem to find the right words to say. 

As you stood there, in front of his lab, dressed in nice clothes and clean shoes, you explained the purpose of your being here. You told him about Queen Rapunzel personally approaching you to ask if you help him out on his work; how she even sent you a letter and invited you for a cup of tea. You told him that while you didn't exactly have the qualifications of being a scientist, you still had the capability. 

Varian narrowed his eyes. "So...you're saying that... you're applying as my assistant?"

"Not applying. Her Majesty already gave me the job."

He furrowed his brows. That didn't feel fair. Rapunzel couldn't just send some random stranger to his lab and tell them to help out, can she? Oh, wait. She can. She's the Queen. Right, but couldn't she have asked him first?

Varian bit his lower lip, scratching the back of his neck. "Look, uh, (Y/n), was it?"

"That's right."

The words died in his throat. He didn't know how he was supposed to say it. 

Four years ago, maybe he would've wanted an assistant. But he wasn't fourteen anymore; nor was he in some rigged Science Expo. He was working for the royals. And that wasn't something that should be taken lightly.

He didn't want an assistant.

But maybe he needed one.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" He tilted his head, watching as you let out a small laugh. 

"I'm afraid not." You shrugged your shoulders. "It's Her Majesty's orders."

Varian sighed and hung his head. "Alright then. I guess you work for me now." It wasn't easy for him to actually agree, but there were times where Rapunzel knew better when it came to his well-being. This was one of those times. 

"Brilliant!" you beamed. "I'll do my best, Master Varian."

"Woah, woah." He held his hands out, eyebrows raised. "You're not calling me 'Master Varian'." And he really didn't want you to. Nigel was the first to do it, and it nearly gave him a heart attack. He didn't like authoritative honorifics. They scared him. "It's just Varian."

You giggled. "Alright, then, 'Just-Varian'." You tried to shake his hand again.

He complied with an uneasy look on his face. 

"I won't bite," you teased. 

He ignored the heat in his cheeks and turned around to walk into his lab. You followed suit, hands folded behind your back. You couldn't help but marvel at the inventions in the room. From the tall, looming brass machines to the smallest gear-filled trinkets. Everything looked so advanced and complicated. 

"So, uh." Varian hopped onto his desk and sat with his feet apart. "How does this work? What do you do?"

You shrugged. "Depends on what you want. I could give you coffee, get you food, help you with your work, draft proposals. You know, the stuff you don't wanna do."

Varian hummed. That did sound quite nice. Maybe this wasn't a bad idea after all. 

"What would you like me to do first?" You stood on the balls of your feet, studying his expression. 

"U-Uh..." He scratched the back of his neck. "I don't... I don't really know."

"Oh." You gave him a small smile. "That's okay. Just keep working. I'll clean up a bit. Would that be alright?" 

You were so nice. Unlike the people who've been to his lab before, (which was Lance, Kiera, Catalina, and Eugene) you were polite, didn't touch anything, and respected his personal space. "I think cleaning's gonna be a little hard." He blushed. 

He wasn't lying. The whole room was a cluttered mess. You honestly didn't know where to start. Pursing your lips, you took a good look around. "Don't worry about it. That's what I came here to do." 

He could get used to this.

"Oh, and don't worry." You turned to him. "I'll be as quiet as I can."

He giggled. "Uh, well, you don't have to worry about the noise. The equipment are pretty loud."

After your last exchange of pleasantries, the two of you began to work. 

After a few hours, you found yourself lugging over a large box of beakers and test tubes. You made sure to be careful, knowing how fragile they were. You held your breath as you hoisted the box up and placed it on top of a shelf. 

Varian removed his welding helmet to let out a sigh. His eyes widened upon looking up and seeing his lab, He was so caught up in his invention that he didn't even realize how busy you'd have been. He could barely recognize the room. His papers and notes were neatly organized on his desk, unneeded machine parts were kept inside a large crate, and his chemicals and potions were filed and arranged on his shelves. Books no longer obstructed the floor, and neither did his crumpled up papers. 

"Woah." He gasped. "How did you-?"

"Welp, now that I've finished cleaning..." You rubbed your dusty hands against your shirt. "How's about I make you some snacks? You haven't eaten in a bit. Ham sandwiches?"

"I-I..." He felt his blood rush up his face. "I kinda don't.. You're still gonna do stuff for me?"

You laughed. "Uh, that's my job? Yeah. So, what would you like to drink?"

He cleared his throat. "I-I guess, hot cocoa?"

"Perfect. I'll be right back."

He watched as you left his lab whilst humming to yourself, releasing the breath he didn't know he was holding. 

This wasn't the first time someone's been nice to him, but, it sure has been a while. While people didn't necessarily hate him, he didn't exactly have a lot of friends outside of the castle either; let alone friends who properly helped him when it came to his work. It felt really nice to have someone around. Someone who just... understood him. 

It also felt nice to have a bit of weight off his shoulders. With you around, he felt like he could actually focus on his inventions. 

As the days stretched on, you and the alchemist proceeded to get closer. 

It wasn't difficult to do so when it came to a guy like him. He was so adorably shy about asking for things. It's like he continuously forgot that you're there to work for him. He was always so soft-spoken around you, and despite only knowing each other for a week, he felt like he could trust you around his inventions more than Lance. And honestly, who could blame him?

You were no 'scientist' or 'engineer', but you began to help out a lot when it came to his projects. It was nothing too big. You'd hold a flashlight for him, hand him his tools, or hold something in place when he needs you to. Working with him didn't even feel like working at all, especially with the conversations you shared. The two of you had obvious chemistry, and building a close friendship took little to no effort. You didn't feel like you were doing a lot, but to him, it meant the world. He never knew how useful an extra pair of hands could be. With you by his side, he could finish his projects days before the deadline. 

You made him breakfast, lunch, and - when he's still cooped up in his lab by 8pm - dinner. And Varian was so grateful for that. Because of you, he was actually eating balanced meals. 

A month had passed; and as your relationship cemented itself in place, your care-giving nature began to get a little more intimate. But it was nothing that a pair friends didn't do. You'd comb his hair, fix his shirt, wipe his sweat, or massage his shoulders. You saw it as a completely normal and ordinary thing to do. Your goal here was to make him comfortable, after all. 

But Varian didn't see it the way you did.

Like he had feared the moment he opened his laboratory door and saw you with that smile, he was beginning to fall in love. 

Varian liked to work alone. 

Alone with you, that is.


End file.
